[Introduced January 8, 2014; referred to the Committee on
Government Organization; and then to the Committee on Finance.]

____________

A BILL to amend and reenact §15-2-7 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to the State Police; and providing
civilian employee pay increase.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That §15-2-7 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.

§15-2-7. Cadet selection board; qualifications for and appointment
to membership in State Police; civilian employees.

(a) The superintendent shall establish within the West
Virginia State Police a cadet selection board which shall be
representative of commissioned and noncommissioned officers within
the State Police.

(b) The superintendent shall appoint a member to the position
of trooper from among the top three names on the current list of
eligible applicants established by the cadet selection board.

(c) Preference in making appointments shall be given whenever
possible to honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces of the
United States and to residents of West Virginia. Each applicant
for appointment shall be a person not less than twenty-one years of
age nor more than thirty-nine years of age, of sound constitution
and good moral character; is required to pass any mental and
physical examination; and meet other requirements as provided in
rules promulgated by the cadet selection board: Provided, That a
former member may, at the discretion of the superintendent, be
reenlisted.

(d) No person may be barred from becoming a member of the
State Police because of his or her religious or political
convictions.

(e) The superintendent shall adhere to the principles of equal
employment opportunity set forth in article eleven, chapter five of
this code and shall take positive steps to encourage applications
for State Police membership from females and minority groups within
the state. An annual report shall be filed with the Legislature on
or before January 1 of each year by the superintendent which
includes a summary of the efforts and the effectiveness of those
efforts intended to recruit females, African-Americans and other
minorities into the ranks of the State Police.

(f) Except for the superintendent, no person may be appointed
or enlisted to membership in the State Police at a grade or rank
above the grade of trooper.

(g) The superintendent shall appoint civilian employees as are
necessary and all employees may be included in the classified
service of the civil service system except those in positions
exempt under the provisions of article six, chapter twenty-nine of
this code.

(h) Effective July 1, 20012014, civilian employees with a
minimum of fivethree years’ service shall receive a salary
increase equal to $100$700 a year for each year of service as a
civilian employee. Every three yearsyear thereafter, civilian
employees who have fivefour or more years of service shall receive
an annual salary increase of $300$400. The increases in salary
provided by this subsection are in addition to any other increases
to which the civilian employees might otherwise be entitled.

(I) Effective July 1, 2014, State Police forensic lab
employees with a minimum of one year of service shall receive a
salary increase equal to $2,000, after six years of employment the
State Police forensic lab employee shall receive a salary increase
equal to $3,000 and after ten years of employment the State Police
forensic lab employee shall receive a salary increase equal to
$4,000.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase salaries for
State Police civilian employees.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.